Josh McRoberts has no plans to replace Lamar Odom

Josh McRoberts hustled through his first practice with the Lakers today after signing a two-season contract worth $6.2 million this morning. He answered the burning question right off the bat, saying he has no plans to replace Lamar Odom.

When Odom was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday it created a void that McRoberts will be asked to fill. He might even start on Christmas Day because Lakers center Andrew Bynum will be suspended for the first of five games to start the season.

“That’s not the way I’m looking at it,” McRoberts said after his first practice after signing a two-season, $6.2-million contract. “I’m sure that’s the natural thing for fans to look at. I understand that. But that’s not what I’m going to try to do.”

McRoberts and Odom are both 6-10, they’re both left-handed and they’re both very athletic players who can play multiple positions. There are plenty of differences, however, starting with their statistics last season.

McRoberts averaged modest totals of 7.4 points on 57.4 percent shooting and 5.3 rebounds over 22 minutes in 72 games last season with the Indiana Pacers. Odom averaged 14.4 points on 53 percent shoot and 8.7 rebounds in 32 minutes in 82 games.

Odom was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2010-11.

“I don’t think any of my teammates are expecting me to do that,” McRoberts said.